TTUHSC El Paso is located in the second largest binational metropolitan area on the U.S.-Mexico border. It provides the opportunities and environment for direct intellectual and interpersonal exchanges among nursing, medical, and graduate research students on one campus.

Historical Archive

A glimpse at where it all began...

Articles and Press Releases

Speeches and Welcomes

From a vision to a school, a roadmap of historical events

In 1999, then Texas Tech System Chancellor John T. Montford shared with the Board
of Regents a vision for a full-fledged four-year medical school in El Paso. A four-year
medical school in El Paso could help alleviate a severe shortage of physicians in
the area. Currently, there are less than 110 physicians for every 100,000 people in
El Paso. The national average is 198 physicians per 100,000 population. The Texas
average is only 150 per 100,000. Studies have shown that most medical students remain
in the region in which they received their education to establish their practices.
The addition of the first two years of the medical school will allow students from
El Paso and nearby regions to complete their education near home. It is hoped this
effort will help retain doctors in the area.

During the 2001 Texas Legislative Session, the El Paso legislative delegation successfully
spearheaded an effort to secure $40 million in tuition revenue bonds for the research
facility, one of three buildings on the new campus, just a short walk from the Texas
Tech University Health Sciences Center-as well as an $11 million clinic expansion
project that took about two years, and added a third floor on the present Texas Tech
Medical Center building. During the expansion and renovation, the clinics still saw
over 300,000 patient visits!

Longtime community philanthropists J.O. and Marlene Stewart donated 10.2 acres of
land near the HSC for the new medical campus. The Paso del Norte Foundation approved
a $1.25 million scholarship grant program for local students contingent on the approval
of the four-year medical school. Over the past several years, generous El Pasoans
and other local businesses have stepped forward to contribute to what is now called
the Infinity Campaign.

Governor Rick Perry visited the El Paso campus for a ceremonial signing of House Bill
28, Article 10, which authorized Texas Tech to proceed. He simultaneously announced
an additional $2 million more in funding to finance start-up costs and faculty salaries.

On December 9, 2003, the ground breaking for El Paso Medical Science Building I took
place and two years later, January 31, 2006, a ribbon cutting followed. The 93,000
square-foot facility will house research on diabetes, cancer, environmental health,
and infectious diseases, as well as a repository dedicated to data on Hispanic health
and a genomic facility to link hereditary diseases in families. With the Hispanic
population increasing throughout the United States, El Paso has become the new face
of the nation. Understanding Hispanic and Border health issues will help scientists
better understand the nation as a whole. Biomedical research conducted in El Paso
will take on enormous importance and form the base of knowledge our country needs,
for today and tomorrow.

In December of 2005, a ground breaking was held for the medical classroom building.
The 125,000 square-foot building has four floors and a partial penthouse. Included
in the plans are classrooms, a library, small group rooms, a clinical skills area
for students, faculty and administrative areas, basic sciences labs, a gross anatomy
lab, a student services area, and food services.

Students graduating now from TTUHSC El Paso will have seen diseases that only a small
fraction of medical students ever come across in their four years of medical school.
El Paso students may encounter biblical diseases such as plague, and other ailments
that have virtually been wiped out in the United States, but flourish in many emerging
nations. The volume of patients our students see is greater than at other campuses
and it provides an intense learning environment, allowing our future doctors to learn
so much more than classic "text book" cases.

TECH TALK: HSC El Paso 03/12/18

Take a moment to enjoy this week’s Tech Talk: HSC El Paso video! Tech Talk: HSC El
Paso provides you with a roundup of information and events happening on campus!

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, doctoral, and professional degrees. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso is a part of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and is currently seeking separate accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.